2022 Verdad Tempranillo, Whale Rock

2022 was a challenging harvest. After a cool growing season we had a nine day and night heat wave starting on Labor Day Weekend. After the heat subsided there were two days of light rain followed by extremely cool weather.

The Tempranillo from Whale Rock Vineyard is in a gravelly loam section and the vines are head trained. Although normally a very early varietal this Tempranillo was harvested early October which was later than anticipated and the cold nights kept harvest at bay.

The fruit was destemmed and fermented in small open top fermenters and punched down twice a day. It was aged in 50% new French barrels and bottled after 16 months in barrel.

It’s an exotic wine with aromas of brambles and ripe sour cherry fruit with lots of wild herbs, chocolate and deep cherry flavors with hints of chocolate and smoky notes.